Precious Roy

He said after the Finals that the reason they lost was Iverson missing practices during the regular season? He drew a direct line from one to the other? Yeah, I'm gonna need a source on that one, because it sounds like bullshit. Also, "because he didn't adjust his lineup after game 1"? Game 1 was the one game they DID win, in large part because Mutombo played out of his mind. I don't know what you remember about that Philly team, but it wasn't exactly teeming with depth, what adjustments was he supposed to make? Mutombo came back down to earth, started getting in foul trouble, and that was that. LA was just a much, much better team that year. Already addressed. I watched every team USA game that year, they didn't adjust AT ALL to international play, and they didn't have the right makeup on that team. Defenses collapsed all over Duncan because nobody on the team knew how to catch and shoot. Carmelo and Amare didn't play much because when they were in the games they weren't doing shit. Odom adapted pretty well to olympic game on both ends, thus he got most of the minutes at the 4. Amare was Duncan's main backup. D-Wade was giving good defensive pressure, seemed pretty lost on offense at times, but he was playing 15-20 minutes a night. LeBron should have played more, but Jefferson and Marion earned minutes, and playing LeBron alone wouldn't have changed the fact that it wasn't a very good team, just a collection of talented NBA players. Like jwpeer said, the team needed more shooters/passers, more traditional back to the basket post players, and less iso/slasher types. Redd and Brad Miller should have been no-brainers. Man, ANY analyst who watched the games will tell you that. Brown was telling it like it is, and he didn't slag on the team he was given til after the Olympics, simply addressed the struggles the team was having. Brown didn't make that trade, did he? Donnie Walsh was the GM. What is Brown supposed to do, let his entire team off the hook in the media and say the one guy they traded made all the difference? "Oh hey guys, y'all can just chill out this offseason, because Action Jackson's coming back, he's gonna do all the work and everything will be fine!" Do you know anything about how coaches motivate their players? I'd ask for a source here too, but I can actually see Brown making that statement, because it makes perfect sense. It's funny that everyone is on the "Brown wore out the team!" bandwaggon. Looking at the stats under Flip, the starters are playing, on average, about two minutes less per game, 1:30 here. 2:30 there, etc. 2 minutes out of 48. Prince's minutes have gone up. If the Pistons lose in the playoffs this year, will it be because Prince was played to death? From what I saw the Pistons looked really fucking good in the playoffs last year, and had turned it up several notches compared to early in the season. They sure didn't play like a worn out team. It couldn't just be that they lost to a great opponent in a really close series, could it? A series they easily could have won if a shot falls here, or doesn't fall there? No, gotta assign blame, it had to be somebody's fault! Again, do you REALLY expect a coach to come out and say that? What is this, fucking amateur hour? The veterans weren't playing hard or smart, and he needs them on board for this team to go anywhere. He floated it out to the media that he wasn't happy with their energy level. After they didn't respond he started playing the guys who he knows will work hard, because nothing is guaranteed for them. It's a dose of reality for the vets, one that doesn't work if you don't let them go out on their own and fail first. It's already working, as after the kids started showing they could play guys like Marbury, Q-Rich and Crawford started walking the company line. Again, do you know anything about how coaches motivate their teams? And as far as Brown publically discussing leaving the Pistons in the playoffs last year, that never happened. Get your facts straight. What happened was he was approached by the Cavs and expressed a degree of interest, but told them he wouldn't negotiate until after the year, and that got leaked. Once the media got a hold of it they turned it into a circus, which is out of Brown or anyone's control. You make it sound like Brown came out at a post game press conference demanding a trade.

And Kobe fouls out! Justice!

That was some of the lamest acting and one of the worst calls I've ever seen. Just awful.

Man, I still can't get over what a retarded comparison that is. Call me when LB calls Joe Dumars a homo and starts doing situps in his driveway

This is definitely one of the more ridiculous comparisons I've ever seen here. Are you going to explain why you think so, or just leave it at that? Does it REALLY need an explanation? Larry Brown would be more like the equivalent of modern Bill Parcells (rebuilds Pats, leaves. rebuilds Jets, leaves. Rebuilding Cowboys, sure to leave sooner than later). He's flighty, we know that, but he's NOTHING like T.O. TERRELL OWENS?!?!?!?!

Bummer. Flash served us well

This is definitely one of the more ridiculous comparisons I've ever seen here.

Tom Gordon has been a closer for Boston, The Cubs, and for the White Sox (after Billy Koch failed miserably in the 03 season). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I should have been more specific, I know he has closed, but he doesn't have the track record that Hoffman has

Brown fucked up a two-peat? I didn't realize it was his fault they lost.

They want to trade him, but he's got a fairly expensive (for what he brings to the table, defense and energy, not much else) contract, and so far it seems like the Knicks are the only interested team. I think they're offering Malik Rose, who the Blazers don't seem to be interested in. Malik Rose is a leader by example, high character guy, brings about the same skills on court as Patterson just as a 4 rather than a 3, and the contract is about the same IIRC. Seems like Portland would want to do it just to get rid of the headache.

Gillick is like one of the few rational GMs out there it seems. Giving all that money to Wagner for FOUR years is just fucking stupid. If the Phillies really want to spend on a big name closer they could probably get Hoffman for the same cash and less years. He's asking for 3 years 25 mil from the Padres, but he's also pissed at them because they're giving him lowball offers. If the Phillies came in with something like 8-9 mil for two years, with an option or few mil buyout on the 3rd they could probably have him. And they're going to end up offering close to that to Tom Gordon anyway, who's the same age, without the track record as a closer. Gordon saying he'd be willing to setup for Foulke sounds like a negotiating ploy to get some more money out of the Yankees.

TERRY TAYLOR!??!?!??!?!

I was struggling to express my conflicted thoughts about that abomination of bad taste, but you pretty much nailed it for me

Terry Funk was in TNA already, wasn't he? I think he wrestled a few hardcore matches and was later part of the Championship committe. Or am I imagining things?

STOP RIGHT THERE! WE DON'T!

Farnsworth handled the media pressure in Chicago just fine. What he couldn't handle were the prevailing winds in Wrigley. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> His 2003 NLCS numbers are HORRIBLE. I wouldn't blame all that on Wrigley wind, and we need relievers who can get it done in pressure situations. I hope I'm wrong. I'd welcome Farnsworth with open arms if he we did sign him, and I'd hope for the best, but he'd need to prove he can do it in the postseason before I'd fully trust the guy. It depends what other options are available, but if it came down to having Bubba Crosby in center or putting a deal together involving Michaels or Rowand I'd strongly consider trading Wang. I'd love to have Abreu on the Yankees, but he didn't win that gold glove in center field

hmmmmmmmmm

I'm ok with Mike Myers, I guess. We needed a situational lefty reliever, guess he's one of the better ones left out there. I would have prefered Eyre, but not for the money he ended up getting. Farnsworth = bad idea. He couldn't handle the media/fan pressure in Chicago, how's he going to do it in NY? The Wagner deal is insane. This off-season is insane.

Why are the Phillies so gung ho to move Abreu all of a sudden? Bedard and Gibbons? That's a horrible deal. Plus, if the Orioles are going for youth to put around Tejada like someone said, Abreu is not the guy to target. He'll be 32 soon.

No, Wang is a very intelligent pitcher, but he's not a superstar in the making or anything, and he has a small margin of error as he doesn't overpower with his stuff. I would have no problem trading him to address a need. Cano, kid is talent, if he keeps his head on straight he's going to be one of the best 2B in the league for years to come. I would NOT trade Robinson Cano. As for the Red Sox, fucking christ, what part of this don't people understand? I can't predict the fucking future, but it's a progressive thing. Obviously they're not going to go and trade all their prospects in one day, but make no mistakes that Luchino is calling the shots, and just like with Steinbrenner he'll start to get a little desperate. Epstein was more rational from all reports, and that's the reason he's gone. I'm not saying they ARE the Yankees, I'm not saying it's written in stone that they end up like this, I'm saying be cautious of where this may lead, because I've seen the same thing happen to my team. And obviously Beckett is still young, but they picked up an overpaid Mike Lowell (hey, a former Yankee prospect!) in the deal too. Schilling is old, on the books for a ton of cash. Don't be surprised if they resign Damon to an overpriced long-term deal (Bernie Williams says hi!), something that I believe Epstein would not have done. It's a dangerous way to operate, a vicious cycle, and all I'm saying is be wary. Don't be surprised if you're trading for 40 yr old Jake Peavy and Roy Oswalt some day EDIT* and Beckett is gonna command a huge contract real soon, if Boston doesn't pony up someone else will, that's why the Marlins dumped him in the first place

Look, I've lived my whole life with half the family Red Sox fans, I have a TON of friends who are Red Sox fans, so don't tell me what I'm not qualified to talk about, I'm fucking qualified. The point of the SI (it was SI, I found it) article was that Red Sox MANAGEMENT is being overtaken by a win now, have to make the playoffs every year mentality, and that that was a major reason behind the rift that formed between Epstein/Luchino. If you don't think that will have ANY effect on the fanbase, you're crazy. Yeah, most Sox fans DID give the team a pass this year, I was far more devestated about the Yankees going out the way they did than any of my Sox fan friends were about the Chicago sweep, because yeah, they're still riding the high of killing the fucking curse of the Bambino. But what happens if the Red Sox keep trying for the quick fix of expensive veterans, if they start trading away young guys who turn into stars elsewhere, and if they're unable to grasp that brass ring despite going all out to do it? I know what Boston fans are like, and I know the mentality in the Boston media, it won't be pretty.

I think it was the SI writeup on Epstein leaving, can't remember exactly, but the point was made that finally winning a WS changed the entire mindset in Boston to that of the Yankees, where anything short of winning it all is unacceptable. I agree with that, and speaking as a Yankees fan who's seen the homespun glory of the mid-late 90's crash down into a desperate rage against the dying of the light, I take pity on the Red Sox and their fans

I can tolerate the loud, obnoxious drunks as long as they're cheering for my team. If they're really stupid just get a good laugh out of it, don't take it so seriously

He won't "dog" it, he'll just do stupid shit in the field/clubhouse/media that drives management crazy, just like he always does What could the Angels offer? maybe a package built around Kendry Morales, or is he considered off limits? I figure they want to keep Ervin Santana, and the Sox might have to take Steve Finley in a deal just to make the exchange of contracts more equitable.